Severe Weather a Concern for All of Louisiana This Week

Almost the entire state of Louisiana could be impacted by severe weather this week according the Storm Prediction Center. A vast majority of the state has been placed at a slight risk of severe storms on Tuesday. Other parts of the state, however, will be at a higher risk of stronger storms as that part of Louisiana has been placed under an enhanced risk of severe storms for Tuesday. 

The graphic above illustrates where forecasters believe the worst of the weather will happen. Again, this forecast is for Tuesday and will be subject to change but it's a pretty safe bet the areas covered in the different shadings on the map will likely experience some inclement weather during the day on Tuesday.

However, the Storm Prediction Center has taken the unprecedented step of issuing an early forecast warning for the agency is calling a significant severe weather event. In addition to most of Louisiana, a large slice of the country's mid section will be affected by this particular storm system. As of now this severe weather threat could impact some 25 million people across the nation.

Here's the way that impact looks zoomed in on South Louisiana courtesy of the National Weather Service Office in Lake Charles. 

The storm system that will be responsible for this early week severe weather threat is just now pushing into the Pacific Northwest of the United States. By Tuesday the system will interact with a warm flow of moist air from the Gulf of Mexico. This should add to the instability in the atmosphere and should provide the ingredients needed to produce strong to severe storms.

By the way, a thunderstorm is considered to be severe when it has the capability to produce hail of one inch in diameter or larger or could produce wind gusts of  58 mph or stronger. Forecasters should be better able to pinpoint where the strongest of the storms will be following forecast model runs on Monday.

In the meantime, the weather across much of Louisiana will be quite calm and cool for the remainder of the day into the evening. Monday should be mostly sunny but breezy. The big changes in the forecast will become noticeable in the overnight hours of Monday and by Tuesday the rain threat for much of the area will be at 50% or greater as the day progresses.

Much of the stormy weather will move out of the area by late in the day Tuesday, Wednesday should find much calmer conditions and things should remain that way through the remainder of the work week.